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If the thought of wrangling a whole chicken gives you the willies, this recipe is for you: The instructions are simple, the flavoring is perfect, and it's roasted on a bed of veggies—the perfect side dish!

The Perfect Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken is a classic comfort food staple, and a recipe that everyone should have in their kitchen. But sometimes, handling a whole bird can be pretty intimidating. We promise—it's really not that tough. All you need is a big enough pan! My favorite roasted chicken is seasoned with salt, fresh ground pepper, and thyme, and cooked with root vegetables—it a simple whole meal full of flavor.

Here are two important tips for making a great roasted chicken every time:

To get super crispy skin, let the chicken sit on a plate in the refrigerator (on a lower shelf, not touching anything else), uncovered for 24 hours before cooking. This helps to dry out the skin, so it crisps nicely during cooking.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 90 minutes before going in the oven. This step helps the chicken cook evenly.

Serves 4

What You'll Need:

1 3-4 lb. whole chicken

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 yellow onion, quartered

6 small red potatoes, quartered

Salt and fresh ground pepper

Butcher's twine, for trussing

Instant-read thermometer

What to Do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss the vegetables with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, and spread evenly across the bottom of a large cast iron pan or large baking dish.